Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Northeastern Missouri
© 2002, © 2008 by Paul Freeman. Revised 11/16/08.
Columbia Municipal (revised 11/16/08) - E W Cotton Woods Memorial (revised 7/29/08)
Independence Memorial (revised 7/29/08) - Lake Winnebago Municipal (revised 11/16/08)
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E W Cotton Woods Memorial Airport (K24), Columbia, MO
39 North / 92.3 West (West of St. Louis, MO)
Woods Memorial Airport, as depicted on the July 1973 Kansas City Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
According to Andy Kendig,
after the Columbia Municipal Airport closed in the 1970s,
an FBO owner opened Cotton Woods airport to have a general aviation-friendly airport
located closer to town than the new Regional Airport 13 miles out.
The precise date of opening of the Woods Memorial Airport has not been determined.
The earliest depiction of the airport which has been located
was on the July 1973 Kansas City Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Woods Memorial Airport as having a single 2,400' paved north/south runway.
A photo of Cotton Woods Airport by Rick Morgan, 1978.
The Piper Warrior is sitting in front of the FBO, which was on the northwest corner of the field.
A photo of Cotton Woods Airport by Rick Morgan, 1978.
The time exposure shows an aircraft taking off to the south, towards Columbia.
USGS topo map 1981.
E W Cotton Woods Memorial Airport was listed in the 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury).
It described the field as 2,400' asphalt Runway 18/36 & a 1,800' turf Runway 10/28.
The operator was listed as Columbia Flying Service.
Cotton Woods Memorial Airport was still depicted as an active airport in the 1986 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Brian Bowman recalled, "I had a Taylorcraft based there from 1985-90.
The gentleman that ran the FBO & was the A&P there had a fatal accident in his Citabria [on 10/14/87, according to the NTSB].
Apparently the elevator cable was able to contact one of the posts of the battery terminal & spot-welded itself in a frozen position.
The plane crashed & a big fire ensued.
The pilot (and I seem to remember a passenger?) perished.
No one else wanted to runt the place I guess,
and the City of Columbia / County of Boone was looking for a new fairground site since the old site had been swallowed up by suburbia."
The Cotton Woods Memorial Airport was evidently closed in 1990.
In the words of Rick Morgan, "This was a really pleasant little airport- it's a shame its gone now."
As seen in the 1995 USGS aerial photo,
the site of the Woods Airport has been reused as the county fairgrounds.
The paved runway still existed, and has been reused as a road.
The beacon & hangars also remained.
A circa 2006 aerial view looking north at the site of the Woods Airport showed that the hangars had been removed at some point between 1996-2006.
The runway pavement, ramps, and hangar foundations still remained though.
The site of Woods Airport is located northeast of the intersection of Route 63 & East Starke Avenue.
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Independence Memorial Airport (3IP), Independence, MO
39.07 North / 94.34 West (East of Kansas City, MO)
Independence Memorial Airport,
as depicted on the September 1946 Kansas City Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The date of construction of this small general aviation airport is unknown.
It apparently was built at some point between 1944-46,
as it was not listed among active airfields in the 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer).
Diane Sadler reported, “My grandmother owned that airport.
She was Vesta Ailshire, known as 'Mrs. A.'.
Mrs. A inherited the land from her aunt Minnie in 1945.
She created the airport with a few other developers.
She owned the airport, adjacent restaurant, Horseshoe Lake Grocery, pilot school, etc. [starting in] 1945.
She was quite a businesswoman, running the airport, establishing a ground school,
airplane repair shop, ran the Horseshoe Lake Grocery and restaurant, later named 'Mrs. A's Place'.
She became quite a local icon, many newspaper articles were written about the 'grandmother who owned an airport'.
She hosted air shows & was known for her homemade cooking & delicious pies.”
The earliest reference to Independence Memorial Airport which has been located
was on the September 1946 Kansas City Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The September 1948 Kansas City Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Independence Memorial Airport as having a 2,400' unpaved runway.
Diane Sadler reported, “Mrs. A bought them [the other airport partners] out in 1950.”
An aerial view looking north at Independence Memorial Airport, from a circa 1957-61 MO Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The field was described as having a 3,000' hard-surface Runway 18/36 & a 2,800' turf Runway 4/22.
A tiedown area was depicted on the southwest side of the field,
at which were a few small buildings & around a dozen light aircraft.
The 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Independence Memorial Airport as having two unpaved runways: 2,400' Runway 17/35 & 2,375' Runway 4/22.
A few small buildings were clustered around a small ramp on the southwest corner of the field.
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described Independence Memorial Airport
as having two turf runways: 2,400' Runway 18/36 & 2,375' Runway 4/22.
The operator was listed as Independence Memorial Airport.
The May 1971 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Independence Memorial as having a single 2,600' Runway 17/35,
with taxiways at the south end leading to buildings on either side of the runway.
Lynn Travers reported, "I lived about 2 miles north of the runway from 1978-95.
It had a single runway running mostly north/south.
It was gravel & was paved sometime in the 1980s.
My dachshund would wait at our yard fence & chase planes as they passed over our yard.
From time to time a TBM Avenger or a Spanish-marked T-6 would shoot touch & go's.
Lots of ultralight traffic."
The 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury)
described Independence Memorial as having a single 2,600' gravel Runway 17/35.
The 1995 USGS topo map depicted the field as having two unpaved runways,
along with several buildings (hangars?) on the southwest corner of the field.
The 1996 USGS aerial photo depicted the paved north/south runway,
as well as the former grass crosswind runway.
Several light planes were visible on the parking spots at the southwest corner of the field.
Diane Sadler reported, “Mrs. A owned the airport until 1998 when she sold it to Bob Schlotzhauer.
He said he was going to develop it, but within a year had demolished all the hangars & sold the land to a developer.”
The 2000 AOPA Airport Directory described the field as having a single 2,600' asphalt Runway 17/35.
Independence Memorial Airport was evidently closed at some point between 2000-2002.
According to the summary of the February 20, 2002 meeting
of the Aviation Committee of the Mid-America Regional Council,
"This privately owned public airport is closed.
No maintenance is being performed at the airport & some of the buildings have been taken down.
Few aircraft remain there.
It appears that most of the displaced aircraft have moved to East Kansas City Airport.
MARC's current Airports System Plan has a proposed new airport in Northeastern Jackson County.
The City of Independence completed an airport master plan for a location in the Atherton river bottoms
adjacent to Little Blue River sewage treatment plant.
Currently, the City of Independence is not interested in building a new airport."
Independence Memorial Airport was still listed as an active airport
as of 2003 in the FAA Airport/Facility Directory.
However, the remarks included, "Airport unsafe, not maintained."
The owner was listed as Robert Slotzhaurer.
A total of 54 aircraft were listed as being based at the field,
and it was listed as conducting a total of 55 aircraft operations per day.
However, Lynn Travers reported, "I went by to visit the field in September of 2003 and found it closed & pretty well overgrown."
A circa 2000-2005 USGS aerial photo of Independence Memorial Airport
showed the field to remain completely intact, though with closed-runway “X” symbols,
and no aircraft on the field.
A 2005 photo by Paul Eriksmoen, looking along the remains of the paved runway at the former Independence Memorial Airport.
“The runway is still intact, though overgrown, and there are earthmovers that are in the process of tearing up the taxiways & tarmac.”
A July 2005 photo of the sole remaining hangar at the site of Independence Airport (at the southeast corner of the site).
A circa 2006 aerial view looking north at the sole remaining hangar at the site of Independence Airport (at the southeast corner of the site),
along with the former runway (which was in the process of having its pavement removed).
All of the hangars on the southwest side of the field had bee removed.
Independence Memorial Airport is located northeast of the intersection
of E Rd Mitze Road & South Selaa Road.
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Lake Winnebago Municipal Airport (MO8), Lake Winnebago, MO
38.81 North / 94.31 West (Southeast of Kansas City, MO)
Lake Winnebago Airport, as depicted on the August 1967 Kansas City Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airport while open has not been located.
Tom Reardon recalled, "My father, Joe Reardon, was the city engineer & director of public works
for the Village of Lake Winnebago from 1963-70.
The airport property runs adjacent to the rock quarry
and was originally purchased from them in 1964 by Robert Steinhilber (the developer) to build the airport.
The airport planning & approval was done in 1965 with construction beginning in 1966.
The city always owned the airport & leased facilities to Midwest Executive Aircraft.
The project was completed in mid 1967 with great fanfare.”
Robert Steinhilber recalled, “I have an 8mm film of the landing & take-off
of the first plane to do so at the airport - the pilot was my wife, Joan.
She secretly got her pilot's license while I was busy with the airport construction & other Lake Winnebago work,
and I did not know about it until just before we completed the airport.
When I found out, I made arrangements for her to be the first to land & take-off.”
Tom Reardon recalled, "“It should be noted that this airfield was lighted, well planned, state of the art and built to last.
A lot of thought went into the project.
As you drove into the entrance from Highway BB,
you were greeted by the official Lake Winnebago stone gates.
There was a long sweeping drive up to the parking lot.
From the parking lot, a service drive took you to the ramp.
We had a small 40 foot mobile home set up at the southwest corner of the ramp as our operations center.
The trailer was formerly a General Electric show unit to display the latest in home lighting.
It worked great for our needs.
Just west of the office was a pump island for 80 & 100 octane fuel.
There were about 20 tiedown spots available & at that time we had about a dozen aircraft based there.
Piper was the most dominant model with several Cherokees & Comanche's on chains.
I recall a TriPacer, Stinson and a couple of Skyhawks based with us."
The earliest depiction of the Lake Winnebago Municipal Airport which has been located
was on the August 1967 Kansas City Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted the field as having a single 3,400' paved runway.
Tom Reardon continued, "General aviation was booming back in the late 1960's
and those building in the exclusive Village of Lake Winnebago had the means to own & operate aircraft.
As I recall there were several TWA pilots who had just built homes & moved into the community
as well as a couple of players for the Chiefs."
A 1969 photo of Lake Winnebago Airport by Tom Reardon.
"Here Max is heading back to the office after greeting an arrival."
Tom Reardon continued, "During the summer of 1969, a builders strike crippled lake home development.
I worked with my dad that summer at the airport helping out where I could.
I was 11 & had a terrific summer as a line boy & gofer.
I recall that we had a fly-in that summer & it attracted a lot of attention.
Our airport dog, Max greeted the arrivals
and we always had sodas, candy bars and ham sandwiches available for the hungry traveler.
For a little podunk airport, we kept pretty busy in those days."
A late 1970 photo of Lake Winnebago Airport by Tom Reardon.
"You can make out the trailer, gas pumps, and beacon."
Tom Reardon recalled, "The future looked very bright for this airport when we moved on in 1970."
The 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury)
described the Lake Winnebago Municipal Airport as having a single 3,400' asphalt Runway 11/29,
and listed the operator as Midwest Executive Aircraft Inc.
The July 1989 Kansas City Sectional Chart (courtesy of Timothy Aanerud)
depicted Lake Winnebago as having a single 3,400' paved runway.
According to Tom Reardon, “Around 1994, Lake Winnebago sold the property back to Martin Marietta Aggregates.”
This little airport apparently did not last very long,
as it was apparently closed (for reasons unknown) at some point between 1989-96.
In the 1996 USGS aerial photo, the runway numbers had been painted out,
and a closed-runway "X" was faintly visible on the northwest end of the runway.
A paved ramp sat south of the middle of the runway, with a single hangar.
The airport remained completely intact, though.
Lake Winnebago Municipal Airport was not listed among active airfields in the 2000 AOPA Airport Directory,
and it was depicted as an abandoned airfield on the 2003 Sectional Aeronautical Chart.
Tom Reardon continued, "I am not sure what led to the closing of the airport.
I understand from locals in the Lee's Summit area that the City sold the property to a private party
to spare the town the expense of maintaining the field.
This makes sense if it closed in the early 1990's as the recession pretty much crushed most small operators.
A municipal airport with no commercial or industrial value would have been an expensive & unused liability
to a struggling community the size of Lake Winnebago.
This experience led me into my 20 plus year career in General Aviation.
I owe a lot to that little airport, my dad and the experience.
Hopefully, someday, someone will see the value in reopening it to the public."
Robert Steinhilber recalled, “What happened to the airport & industrial park is disgusting,
and you can thank a couple of disgraceful federal judges & their favorable attorneys for that.”
Noah Dunker reported in 2004, "I called Midwest Executive Aircraft [former operator of the airport]
to inquire about the airfield site.
They've since moved a few miles away to Lee's Summit,
but the lady there informed me that they sold it to the city,
which she believes in turn sold it to a rock quarry company."
A circa 2000-2005 USGS aerial photo showed the former Lake Winnebago Municipal Airport remained completely intact.
Tom Reardon reported in 2005, “I visited the site and found the original stone gates, less signage & lights,
with an added iron gate marked 'Private - No Trespassing'.
The area has overgrown with brush & looks sad.
Very heavy mining activity is just northwest of the site.
I have no idea the condition of the airport but it will most likely fall victim to the earth movers if it hasn't already.
Too bad about the airport. Sounds like the rock it was built on has more value today.
It is a strange world we live in these days.
It was a great idea and would have survived if the halcyon days of affordable flying were still with us.”
A circa 2006 aerial view looking west at the remains of the Lake Winnebago Airport runway, ramp, and a building foundation.
The Lake Winnebago Municipal Airport is located southeast of the intersection
of East 163rd Street & Airport Road (appropriately enough).
Thanks to Chris Kennedy for pointing out this former airfield.
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Columbia Municipal Airport (CBI), Columbia, MO
38.97 North / 92.36 West (West of St. Louis, MO)
Columbia Airport, as depicted on the January 1941 Kansas City Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
This former municipal airport was located on the northwest side of Columbia, MO.
The date of construction of Columbia Municipal is unknown.
The earliest reference to the field which has been located
was in The Airfield Directory Company's 1938 Airports Directory (according to Chris Kennedy).
Columbia Airport, as depicted on the 1943 Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
A view looking southwest at Columbia Airport from the 1947 MO Airport Directory (courtesy of Stephen Mahaley).
The field was described as having three runways:
an east/west 3,300' macadam runway, a north/south 3,100' macadam runway,
and a northeast/southwest 1,600' sod strip.
At least two fairly substantial hangars were pictured in the 1947 photo.
The manager was listed as Robert Selfridge.
The 1948 Kansas City Sectional (according to Chris Kennedy) described Columbia as having a 3,300' unpaved runway.
The 1948 USGS topo map depicted Columbia Municipal Airport as having 2 paved runways
and a ramp with a few small buildings at the southeast corner of the field.
The 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Columbia as having two paved runways: 4,000' Runway 17/35 & 3,300' Runway 10/28.
A ramp with a few small buildings was at the southeast corner of the field.
By the time of the 1962 AOPA Airport Directory the field consisted of two bituminous runways:
4,000' Runway 17/35 & 3,300' Runway 10/28.
The operator was listed as Columbia Air Service.
According to former MO resident Rick Morgan,
Ozark Airlines moved their service from Columbia Municipal Airport
to the new larger Columbia Regional Airport October 1968.
"CBI's short runways was why they kept DC-3s in service up to that date.
I'm not sure it stayed open much longer."
Columbia Municipal was still depicted as an active airport on the 1970 USGS topo map,
with 2 runways.
According to Andy Kendig,
Columbia Municipal Airport was closed in the early 1970s.
The 1980 USGS topo map depicted the site of Columbia Municipal Airport as a park,
and no longer depicted the former runways at all.
As seen in the 1995 USGS aerial photo, the runways were largely still intact,
having been reused as parking lots for the Columbia Cosmopolitan Recreation Area.
A circa 2006 aerial view looking west at 2 former hangars (top-center & bottom-left of photo)
which remain standing at the southeast corner of the site of the Columbia Municipal Airport.
The site of Columbia Municipal Airport is located northwest of the intersection of Interstate 70 & Schwabe Lane.
Thanks to Andy Kendig for pointing out this former airfield.
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